- Yes
- No
- (independent) BeNeLux tree
- France: BeNeLux subtree
- other
- no/negative
TL;DR: A Belgian Frigate with mostly Franco-USA-Dutch equipment (100 mm gun, Exocet, Seasparrow and torpedoes)
F912 BNS Wandelaar, one of the four Wielingen-class in the Belgian Navy.
History
History
The Wielingen-class consisted of relatively small frigates, made possible in part by the absence of a hangar and a helicopter deck. However, the ships were well-armed. They were equipped with Exocet cruise missiles and a 100mm cannon. For air defense, the ships carried NATO Sea Sparrow missiles, and for anti-submarine warfare, the Wielingen-class frigates were equipped with depth charge mortars.
Contruction
The Wielingen-class frigates were Belgium’s first large warships built after World War II. They were designed to replace the six aging “Algerine” escorts from the WWII era, which were approaching the end of their operational lifespan. Preliminary studies began in 1964 with the goal of creating a warship capable of protecting merchant vessels from submarines and aircraft in the “southwestern approaches” near Flushing. Four Wielingen frigates were planned, with construction set to begin in April 1974 under the technical guidance of the Royal Netherlands Navy, at the Boel and Cockerill shipyards. The flagship, Wielingen, was launched on March 30th, 1976, and christened by Queen Fabiola of Belgium in a public ceremony on January 20th , 1976, at the Cockerill shipyards.
Queen Fabiola christening the Wielingen F910 - 01
Wielingen being launched
Crest of the Wielingen
Crew
There are 159 crew members: The Commanding Officer, the Executive Officer, 12 Officers, 74 Non-Commissioned Officers, 53 Volunteers, and 18 Conscripts (mandatory military service was applicable at the time).
They were divided into 3 departments:
Department “Internal Service”: deck, diving, administration, supply, and medical services.
Department “Technical”: mechanics, electricity, and electronics.
Department “Operations”: communications, radar, sonar, and artillery.Regarding the name
The Wielingen and Westdiep are two navigable channels located between the Flemish Banks. The Westdiep channel lies off the western coast of Belgium, while the Wielingen channel corresponds to the approach route to the mouth of the Scheldt River. The Wandelaar and Westhinder are of similar origin.
Service life
Number Name In Service Out of Service F910 Wielingen 1976 2006 F911 Westdiep 1977 2007 F912 Wandelaar 1978 2004 F913 Westhinder 1978 1993 The Wielingen’s first major operations occurred during Operation Southern Breeze in the Persian Gulf War, from August 1990 to August 1991. The ship participated in enforcing the UN-sanctioned trade embargo against Iraq, conducting searches on 28 merchant vessels and checking in with thousands more. On September 6, 1990, Belgium sent a mine warfare flotilla to the Persian Gulf to scan for Iraqi-laid sea mines, with at least four vessels supporting the operation. On January 19, 1991, Wielingen replaced one of the mine hunters, the Wandelaar, and continued the mission until the ceasefire later that year. Belgian naval forces successfully defused at least 280 mines, the highest number of any nation during the Persian Gulf War.
During this period, the ship was also involved in a rescue operation on February 10, 1991, saving 25 lives from the Turkish oil tanker Ergeli, which had sunk after a collision with another tanker. The Wielingen, along with the rest of the flotilla, departed the region on July 14, 1991, and returned home to a welcoming reception.
After the Persian Gulf War, Wielingen had a relatively peaceful career, participating in routine NATO exercises and operations throughout the remainder of the 1990s and early 2000s. Following the 9/11 attacks, Wielingen joined Operation “Active Endeavour” from September to November 2004, contributing to maritime security in anti-terrorism operations.
In February 2005, Wielingen was sent to Antwerp for a major overhaul, during which its engines, generators, and navigational aids were replaced, and an onboard osmosis system was installed to produce fresh water for the crew’s convenience.
In 2008, the remaining three ships of the Wielingen-class were sold to the Bulgarian Navy and replaced by the modern Dutch-built Karel Doorman class frigates. The Wielingen continues its service today as the Drazki-class in the Bulgarian Navy, in a configuration similar to how it was when it was sold.
The Wielingen-class was replaced in 2007 by two Dutch-made M-class Karel-Doorman frigates.
Specifications
Dimensions: Lenght/Beam/Draught: 106,4 m / 12,3 m / 5,6 m
Displacement: 2247 tons
Propulsion: CODOG-propulsion,
2 x Cockerill CO 240 V12 diesel engines, 4,500 kW (6,000 bhp)
1 x Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbine, 21,000 kW (28,000 shp)
Speed: 28 knots (52 km/h)Crew: 159
Armament Gun 1 x 1 100mm Mle 68 Creusot-Loire dual purpose gun Point-defence 5 x 1 12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns SAM 1 x 8 200 mm RIM-7 Sea Sparrow surface to air missile launcher ASM 2 x 2 348 mm MM38 Exocet surface to surface missile launchers Depth Charges 1 x 6 375 mm Creusot-Loire depth charge launcher Torpedoes 2 x 10 533 mm ECAN Type L5 torpedoes EW/DLS DR-2000 intercept - 2Mk 36 SRBOC chaff (VI x 2)
Sensors Surveillance radar Hollandse Signaal Apparaten DA-05 (E/F band) Targeting radar Hollandse Signaal Apparaten WM-25 IR/Optical targeting Yes, 2 x 1 EOMS IR/Video optical targeting cameras Sonar AN/SQS-510 Navigation radar Kelvin Hughes type 1007/SCOUT1
Place in War Thunder
The Wielingen class would a a fully-unique Belgian Frigate class representing the Belgian navy at almost top-tier Coastal. In the current state of Coastal fleet it would most likely be a rank 6 ship with one good gun and very decent long-range torpedoes.
Regarding nations
BeNeLux
As the BeNeLux subtree for France has now been confirmed, France has the highest chance of recieving Belgian equipment. However an independent BeNeLux would also be very possible. For further info please go to: BeNeLux (Belgium, Netherlands & Luxembourg) Coastal Fleet.
Pictures and Diagrams
Pictures
By Sergio Echeverría García - Eugenio’s Warships - F910, CC BY-SA 3.0, File:Wielingen (F910) 2003.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
F910 BNS Wielingen
F911 BNS Westdiep
F912 BNS Wandelaar
F913 BNS Westhinder
Sources
Sources
- Belgian Navy. (Jan 2025). Wielingen. Wielingen
- Sergio Echeverría García - Eugenio’s Warships - F910, CC BY-SA 3.0, File:Wielingen (F910) 2003.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
Wielingen class Frigate Belgian Navy Armed Forces. (n.d.). Wielingen class Frigate Belgian Navy Armed Forces- BNS WIELINGEN F910 - Operation Southern Breeze. (Jan 2005). Belgian Navy Ship WIELINGEN F910 - Operation Southern Breeze
- Karremann, J. (01 november 2016). Wielingenklasse fregatten. Wielingenklasse fregatten
- Van Ginderen, Leo & Delgoffe, Chris.Fotoboek Belgische Zeemacht. Vlaamse Maritieme Ruilvereniging. Antwerpen. 1996
- Miskowicz, R., & Braun, K. (n.d.). AN/SQS-510 ACTIVE SONAR SYSTEM. TRID. AN/SQS-510 ACTIVE SONAR SYSTEM - TRID